Tanner spun him around and pushed him up against the wall. Before Ace could protest, Tanner kissed him, hard and sloppy and bruising.
Ace kept his mouth firmly closed and tried to squirm away, but Tanner was surprisingly strong. Ace could feel Tanner’s cock rubbing up against his own.
When did he get my zipper down?
Finally, Ace was able to wrench his mouth away. “You need to get the fuck out of here!” he whispered angrily.
Something caught Tanner’s eye over Ace’s shoulder. “Already got someone for tonight, huh? Interested in a third?” He snaked his hands down Ace’s jeans. “What do you say, doc?” Tanner asked. “Wanna join us?”
Doc? Ace spun around and saw Paul, red-faced and deadly still.
Fuck. Fuck!
Ace was frozen where he stood. It took long, precious seconds before his brain untangled the competing thoughts so he could speak.
“Paul,” he began, “it’s not ”
“I’m interrupting, clearly,” Paul said, both sadness and anger in his deep voice. “You should have said you were expecting someone. I wouldn’t have bothered you.” He set down the opened beers he was carrying.
“No, this isn’t what ”
“It looks like?” Paul finished. “You’re right. This doesn’t look like the back room of Sparks. Your dick must be clouding your vision.”
Ace twisted away from Tanner and quickly zipped his pants as Paul fetched his keys.
“You know,” Paul said, spinning back to them, “when Tanner said you two were working together, this isn’t exactly what I would have expected.”
Ace looked sharply at Tanner. “You mean he ” He stopped himself. “What did he ”
“Didn’t know you went for that kind,” Paul sneered. “The very eager, barely legal kind.”
Ace rushed over to Paul and tried to take him in his arms, but Paul pushed away. “Please, Paul, let me explain.”
“Is this what I’m coming out of the closet for?” Paul ran his hand through his hair and barked a harsh laugh. “Because if this is all I get for coming out, I’m starting to think it wasn’t worth it.”
“No!” Ace could feel everything slipping away from him. “You don’t understand ”
“Or maybe it’s just that you’re not worth it,” Paul spat. “Is this the real reason Cameron never came out for you? Because he knew about you?”
Ace was stunned into silence as Paul’s words cut into his gut.
Paul shook his head. “I’m such a fucking moron.” He left without another word.
“Paul! Wait, please!” Ace snapped out of his silence after a long moment and jostled Tanner out of the way, but on his way out the door, he bumped into the delivery guy from Happy Garden.
“Ah, here you go, that’ll be seventeen-fifty,” the delivery guy Ace thought his name might be Ron said.
Ace growled in frustration. He quickly pulled a twenty from his wallet and thrust it at Ron. He wanted to catch up to Paul before he could speed off in his car.
“Wait, your food!” Ron held out an arm to stop him and pushed the bag of food into Ace’s hands. “Have a good night!”
By the time Ron was walking to his car, Ace watched helplessly as Paul’s taillights disappeared from view. Would it even do any good to follow Paul, with him in that frame of mind? That could get ugly.
“So, where were we?” Tanner was still there.
This is what happens where you’re a coward, Hoffman. You don’t confront things and they fester. And things that fester sometimes explode.
Um, ew.
Ace turned to the younger man and glowered. “We never were, Tanner. There is nothing here.”
“You and I both know that’s not true.” Tanner started unbuttoning his shirt as he advanced toward Ace.
“Christ, kid!” Ace exploded. “One lousy blowjob! That’s all we ever did. I let you suck my dick and now you’ve attached yourself like a fucking barnacle!”
“Lousy? I remember it very differently.” He slowly stalked forward. “I remember hot. I remember the way you looked at me. The way I still catch you looking at me.”
“Lately?” Ace spat. “Have you seen that look lately?” He roughly ran his hands across his face. “Just be a grownup about all this and back off, for Christ’s sake.”
Tanner shoved Ace’s shoulder. “I’m not a kid, Ace. I’m a man. And a man goes after what he wants. I want you. And I get what I want.” He moved in to steal a kiss, but Ace darted away.
“No matter who gets hurt in the process? You selfish little bastard.”
Tanner moved in close again, persistent as ever. “I promise it won’t hurt too much. I can be very gentle.” He reached out to touch him, and Ace caught his wrist in a tight grip.
“That’s not a promise I can make,” Ace growled. “Back. The fuck. Off.” He shoved Tanner’s arm away.
Tanner got a look in his eyes that told Ace that this mess wasn’t finished.
“You know, maybe you’re right,” Tanner said nonchalantly. “I’ve never had anybody turn me down before, and it’s been driving me nuts.” He buttoned his shirt and pants. “Maybe I should move on.”
Ace eyed him with suspicion. “That would be best, yes.”
Tanner made a show of thinking deeply. “Especially now that I have this hot new prospect. I’ll have to make another appointment with Dr. Z.”
Ace blinked. “Another?”
“Oh, that’s right,” Tanner smirked. “He didn’t tell you about our session today. Fuck, he has great hands.”
Ace pushed him into the wall with strong thud. “Listen very carefully, you little shit. You can’t have me, and you sure as fuck can’t have Paul. This ends now. Find some horned-up asshole your own age and fuck him as much as you want. Leave. Us. Alone.”
Tanner gave a hollow laugh. “You really think there’s an ‘us’ there anymore? You heard him. The good doc is done with you. Just wait, you’ll come crawling to me for another hummer before you know it.”
He pushed back from the wall and left in a huff.
Ace wearily took his unnecessary food inside, shut the door and slumped against it until his butt landed on the floor. What a fucking mess.
Erik had been right. Ace should have taken care of the Tanner situation long ago instead of dodging the awkwardness. And keeping the eager beaver in an emergency hook-up holding pattern was weak and unwise.
Plus, he’d been playing it careful and a little cowardly with Paul, too. He expected Paul to be brave with everyone, to come out and deal with the consequences. Ace knew it was for Paul’s own good, but it would definitely make Ace’s life easier, too.
But what had he given Paul in return for this major change? The privilege of being with him? Had he ever really told Paul how much he needed him? How quickly he had fallen for him? Sure, he hinted, he hedged, he tried to let his actions speak. But he was always protecting himself first.
Ace thumped his head against the door, letting the sting distract him. So fucking selfish.
Maybe Paul is right. Maybe Ace wasn’t worth coming out for. At this point, the only thing Ace knew for certain was that he needed Paul back.
He just wasn’t sure how in the hell to make that happen.